Ireland has just created legislation which will make it illegal to blaspheme.
“Blasphemous matter” is defined as matter “that is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion”
Given that parts of the Koran directly accuse Christians of blasphemy, that all the Abrahamic religions are guilty of blasphemy to each other, and that almost all religions are blasphemous to someone, the blasphemy law is clearly farcical. The Bible and the Koran are now potentially illegal in Ireland, beacuase of a law designed to protect their followers.
Dawkins claimed the law was a return to the Middle Ages, however in that period it would have made some sense since blasphemy would have only applied to the one religion, yielding less self-contradiction.
In short, Irelands blasphemy law is designed to protect only opinions which are held without reason against unreasonable opinion. Tenets held because of reason rather than faith are not protected, because they are not religion.
Ireland now has a law that says that:
(i) if enough people say black is white and are
(ii) offended by the opposite,
(iii) providing its a belief based on superstition not evidence,
(iv) it is illegal to tell them otherwise.
Redefication is purely for the Christian religion as all other religions are free from prosecution. Lisbon Referedum is so Christians are not presucted for there beliefs and beat by cops in the united states for being a Christian. It should be carried out throughout the whole world. As in school all other religions are able to talk about their religious ritual, But Christians are not allowed to talk about any of their religious beliefs at all. This is unfair and that is what the Blasphemy law in Ireland is about. And Ireland does not have free-speech due to the hurtful manner free-speech brings. Thanking you in advance for your time, Annonymous
So Veronica, you appear to be saying that it is the role of the law to enforce the principle that people should not say what they think of someone else’s philosophy because it might hurt their feelings.
This is absurd. It tacitly assumes that if someone is offended then it is the other person’s fault. Moreover, it assumes the law should be used to universally regulate harsh criticism, particularly ridicule or satire.
Rubbish! Often when people are offended, it is their own fault for being overly sensitive or having a fragile philosophical position which makes them feel easily threatened. Too bad! The latter case are the people who most deserve rigorous and often satirical criticism.
You can have whatever religious beliefs and rituals you like, but don’t expect not to be mocked by other people who think you are backward & superstitious. If your feelings are hurt by satire or even harsh logical criticism, that is your own fault. It only serves to illuminate the weakness of your beliefs if you cannot defend them and need to hide behind a dishonest law to protect your idiotic behaviour from other people’s criticism.
@Matthew. Veronica is wrong on all counts – the law was designed to give protections to minority religions i.e. NOT just the dominant Christian majority (which has de facto protection in Ireland because of this).
But more importantly, the law is stupid even without a discussion of the merits of free speech, because it is self contradictory, Judaism, Islam and Christianity are all explicitly blasphemous of each other.
No prizes for guessing which of the 3 religions will abuse the law the most with frivolous complaints.
I have known atheists who fits Matthew Hardman’s deluded and unfair description of Veronica that are also offended when Atheism is put on trial, mocked and deconstructed. Perhaps Hardman should look at his own community and weep.
Another note, if we took Mr. Hardman’s name in vain or his brother’s or siblings or someone he dearly loves he would be insulted. Obviously being an atheist immediately nullified his own sense of compassion and tolerance to his fellow human beings who are religious and treat their gods the same why he treats his family. Talk about hypocrisy! but this doesn’t apply to him and his ilk because they are amoral, thinking themselves as god jr. they can offend, lambast ridicule all they want by making their own laws of etiquette and/or breaking them
Hardman’s attitude is nothing new, still presenting the same tired old insensitive and stupid argument like that of a fundy atheist. you made an ass out of yourself when you said that when people get offended its their fault, How exactly? when the blame lies onto the offender for initiating the insult in the first place. That is why in some countries they have SLander and Libel laws silly! So go ahead, whine about how the Blasphemy Law is a huge step backward or medieval, as far as decency is concerned its a huge step back from getting hit from an oncoming truck driven by a bunch of secularists drunk by their own power and stupidity
dguest: Your arguments are as facile as your intellect.
Taking my or a family member’s name in vain would not offend me: I would simply laugh at your stupidity in attempting to contrive an artificial allusion.
Religious people treating a make believe construct in the same way as I treat my family does not create a parallel. There is no hypocrisy in ridiculing people who believe in entities which exist as social constructs: you really ARE idiots.
Are far as whose fault it is regarding taking offence: if it is a deliberate insult, then yes, I expect you to be offended – I simply don’t care that you are.
If it is an argument which results in the conclusion that particular ideas are nonsense and the person who believes them gets offended, then yes, that is their own fault.
Are you seriously suggesting that if you believe in God and act upon this belief in ways that adversely affect people who don’t eg. by voting against abortion, then people should “show compassion and tolerance” toward you anyway and not criticise you, your beliefs or the ensuing actions? Not likely.
Can’t remember who said the following:
“You’ll never see an atheist getting on a plane with bombs strapped to their body and waving a copy of On The Origin of Species before blowing themselves and everyone else up”.
Ireland on the road to Theocracy 1 and 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT66IfxOAfY